Allotment

[rick]

I've got a bit of allotment now. A friend has one and needs some help keeping it in order. As I'm using bark chips in the coop, planning to air them out for a month or so on the plot and rotate it. Should have interesting bits in it on return and add a bit of nitrate to the plot the other way (that's the theory anyway.)

 

[chrismahon]

You may find they just rot away Rick. Our bark chips rotted very quickly if they got wet, but lasted 2 years if kept dry.

 

[rick]

I'll give it a go and see what happens. Have been washing it (laborious) and it does get smaller quite quickly. Apparently there is a first come first serve delivery of chip. Bit wary of though, could easily be yew in it.
Mostly about making the connection with some green space that is a bit lacking at the moment - supplement their appetite for tesco cabbage!
I wonder how much space you would have to have per chicken format to remain green? (a lot I'm thinking!)

 

[chrismahon]

Depends a lot on the condition of the ground in the first place Rick. Grass of decent quality and you need 15m2 per hen -that's what we have here and it has survived for two years. We put our Wyandottes on a poor area with a lot of moss in the Dordogne based on 20m2 per hen and they stripped the area to bare soil in two weeks. Important you poo pick the area though otherwise that buildup kills the grass anyway.

 

[rick]

Ah, not enormous then but, like you say, that's a solid area of good grass. Interesting.